shelton



(No Moa-e1.) 2 Sheets-sheet 1. W. J. SHELTON. ELECTRO MEDICAL BELT.

N. PETERS. Fhclb-Lilhographer, Wnxhingon. ILC.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-sheen 2.v W. J. SHELTON.

ELECTRO MEDICAL BELT. No. 405,436. PatentedJune 18, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

VILLIAM J. SHELTON, OF COLUMBIA, TEXAS.

ELECTRO-MEDICAL BELT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 405,436, dated June 18, 1889.

Application led September l5, 1888. Serial No. 285 ,449. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. SHEL'roN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbia, in the county of Brazoria and State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved Electro-Medical Belt, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to that class of medical appliances in which it is designed to subject different parts of the body to the action of a current of electricity, the same being transmitted by means of con tact-plates in connection with va suitable generator, said plates being applicable to any and all parts of the body and to cover greater or less area; and the objects of my invention are to provide an appliance to be easily applied, convenient to wear, and adapted to supply a greater and stronger shock of electricity than those heretofore used.

To these ends my invention consists in a suitable belt or other support carrying movable contact-plates, a galvanic battery, an induction-coil, connections between the battery and coil, and conductors connecting the secondary wire of the coil to the contact-plates through which the shock is to be conveyed, the contactplates being provided with suitable bindingscrews or other connectors, and also having suitable flaps or insulators for covering them when not in use.

The novel features of my invention are speciiically pointed out in the clainis,being rst fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I is a perspective view of my appliance, showing one torni of belt or support, which support may be varied in construction at will. Fig. II is a longitudinal section of the particular form of battery used in connection with my device. Fig. III is a side elevation ot the induction-coil. Fig. IV is a sectional view of the induction-coil, showing the means for binding in any desired position the movable sleeve. Fig. V is a view showing the application of my device.

1 may represent any suitable form of belt or support, having shoulder-straps 4 secured thereto, one of which shoulder-straps may be extended and looped to form a support 1li for the battery 2.

3 is an induction-coil of any desired con-l struction, preferably small in size, and has straps or plates 6 secured transversely to the ends of the bobbin, forming a clasp,\vliereby the induction coil is secured to the belt. The coil has sockets 25, in which are inserted the contact ends of its primary conductors 8, secured to and ruiming around the belt, their other ends, or ends of short conductors connected therewith, being secured in bindingscrews l5 at each end of the battery 2.

7 7 are contact-plates, of which there may be any number, placed at any part of the support, and they are preferably made to conform to the part of the body to which they are to be applied. For instance, it is often desirable to apply an electrical current to the temples or behind the ear, in which case I use a special form of plate conforming to these parts, which may be held in place by a suitable bandage or strap, as shown in Fig. 5. These plates 7 are connected by conductors 9 to the contact clamping-plates 6, which are in turn connected to the secondary wire of the coil. The adjacent plates are also insulated from each other, whereby the current coming from the plates G (which we will suppose is insulated now by iiap 1l) will pass from one plate 7 through the adjacent portion of the body to the other plate 7 and return.

5 5 are additional contact-plates secured to the belt by clamps l2 l2", respectively, through which clamps the secondary current may be transmitted to the body. These contact-plates 5 5 are each provided with upper binding-posts 22 and lower binding-posts 23, both preferably of double-socket form. The former of these binding-posts are insulated by the plates 22 and the latter posts .3 are in electrical contact with the plates 5 5f. The upper insulated posts 22 are intended for receiving the prin'la-ry conductors and the lower posts 23 for the secondary conductors when it is desired to apply the current to the body through such plates. The plates 5:l are adj ustable for changing the size of the belt and the plates 5 are adjustable at will. The plates 5 are further provided with the connectingclasp 10, through which the primary current passes, the respective portions of one conductor being connected to the binding-posts 23 on the plates 5. By this arrangement the current is broken when the belt is removed.

IOC

\Vhile this is the preferred arrangement oi' the conductors, yet it is obvious that they may be changed around and the necessary connections made in any suitable way.

In order to regulate the strength ot the secondary current, the core is provided with su rrounding movable sleeve 20, which may be moved in and out at pleasure. Around this sleeve 2O I fit a split binding-sleeve 21, screwing into the end otl the bobbin, whereby the sleeve 2O may be clamped in any desired position and will not change its position by jarrin when the apparatus is worn upon the body. The plates (5 ot' this induction-coil, it will be seen, are provided with sockets 24, in which the ends of the conductors 9 are inserted.

The battery 2 consists ot two correspondingly screw-threaded cylindrical cups 13 1.4-, in the ends of which are secured the bindingscrews 15, and in one end is a vent-hole 18, closed by a plug 19 for the purpose oit allowing the escape oi' air when the parts are put together. In one of the cylindrical cups is secured by means of the screw ot the bindingpost an electrode 2G, and inv the other a cup-shaped electrode 1G, secured also by the screw of the binding-post, on the end oit' which screw is fitted a nut The electrode 2U passes inside of the electrode 16, and has an insulating button J7 on the end for preventing contact with the bottom or sides. It will be seen that this battery forms an economical and convenient cell to be worn with the appliance.

lVhile the constructioli. hereinbetore described is the preferred form of .my device, it is obvious that the principles ot' my invention can be carried out with various changes in the form ot support and other details. For instance, the support may have any number of shoulder-straps or cross-pieces attached thereto, on which are supported plates, which features I do not particularly claim, inasmuch as they are old per se; also, the conductors S could be connected to the insulated bindingposts of the plates 5 5, and the secondary conductors oit the induction-coil connected to the binding-screws 213, whereby the plates would conduct electricity to the portions oi' the body with which they might be in contact.

The flaps 11 are preferably provided for each pair or single one of the contact-plates, according to their location, and are made iiexible, so that they may be turned back whenever it is desired to have the plates contact with the body. The flaps may, however, be removed altogether, for it is obvious that no current will be transmitted by the plates when the conductors are detached therefrom.

rlhe induction-coil is provided with the usual make-and-break mechanism in one end, and also with suitable tension devices for regulating the same.

lVhile I have shown the binding-screws in the ends of the battery, it is obvious that they could be placed at any. other convenient point and connected to the electrodes in any suitable manner. The airwent 19 could also be placed at any desired point in the cell. rIhe battery itself may be supported, as shown, by the hanger 4, or it may be supported en tirely by the conductors to which it is attached, or the conductors may be oi. such length as to permit of the battery being carried at any part ot the body or clothingsuch, `for instance, as in the pocket of the wearer. The electrode li maybe ctninectedinv any suitable wayto the secondary wire ot the coil, such, for instance, as by means oi a wire passing from the screw." 29 in the ends ot' the bobbin.

lla-vingthus described my invention, the tot lowing is whatI claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In an electro-medical appliance, the combination, with a belt or other support, adjust able contact-plates 5 7, distributed over said support and having binding-posts, suitable conductors secured to the appliance, an elec tric battery, an in duction-coil carried by the appliance and connected to the conductors, and conductors running from the secondary wire of the Ainductien-coil. and adapted to be connected to the different contact-plates at will, substantially as herein set forth.

2. In an electro-medical appliance, substantially as described, the combination, with the support Il. 4, battery 2, slingl et, for supporting said battery, induction-coil f3, having contacts G, forming a clamp for holding the coil. to the support, contact-plates 5 7, secured to the support, and conductors S il, connectingI the battery with the induetion-coil and the induction-coil with the contact-plates, respectively, substantially as shown.

In an electro-medical appliance, substantially as described, the combination, with a support, a clasp for securing said support, a battery, a device for imparting a current ot" electricity to the body, and connection between the battery and said device, said conn neetion including in circuit the clasp for securing the support, whereby the connection is broken when said support is removed, substantially as set forth.

1. In an elect-ro-medical appliance, substantially as described, the conlbination, with the support, battery and induction coil carried by said support, connection between said battery and induction-coil, contact-plates on the support, conductors running from said inductioncoil and adapted to be secured to any and all. of the plates, and insulatingcovcrs 1l, adapted to insulate the contact-plates from the body and told back from said plates, as and t'or the purpose explained.

5. The electric battery to be applied to medical belts, substantially as described, conn sistin g ot the correspondingly screw-threaded cylindrical cups 13 1st., having' binding-screws 15, a cup-shaped electrode 1G, secured to one of the cups of the cell, and an elongated electrode 26, secured in the other cup by a bind- IOO ing-post, and having the insulating-knob 27, one of said cups also having a vent-hole 1S, closed by a screw-plug` 19, all substantially as herein described.

6. In an electro-medical appliance, substantially as herein described, an induction-coil for application to such appliance, consisting` of the coil 3, longitudinal insulated contactplates 6, connected to the secondary Wire of the induction-coil and forming a clamp .for sccuring the coil to the appliance, and a movable sleeve 20, having a binding-screw 2l, for securing said sleeve at any desirable point, all substantially as hereinbetore described.

7. In an electro-medical appliance, substantially as described, the combination, with suitable generators and conductors running therefrom, of the metallic plates 5, having binding-screws 22 23, one of said bindingscrews on each plate being; insulated from the plate and the other making` electrical connection therewith, substantially as shown, Whereby the insulatin0screws may be used for a primary conductor, and the secondary screws may be used to connect the plates as contactplates to the secondary conductor, substantially as described.

XVILLIAM J. SHELTON.

lVitnesses:

STEVE PATTERSON, W. J. NAILLING. 

